What Do $2.5 Million in Batteries Look Like?

A 40-foot-long array of batteries being installed in Winston Chung Hall.

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WHAT: The donation of rare earth lithium-ion batteries valued at $2.5 million. Developed by Winston Global Energy, these rare earth lithium-ion batteries will eventually power a building at UC Riverside that will be renamed for the Chinese inventor, Winston Chung. The battery-powered building will be the first of its kind in North America. Chung is also funding $600,000 in research by UC Riverside faculty.

WHEN: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Winston Chung Hall, UC Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside. A ceremony later in the afternoon will mark the official unveiling of the building name in recognition of Chung’s support for research into sustainable energy.

WHO: Zhifan Zhong, president of Winston Battery Limited and vice chairman of Winston Global Energy who oversees the company’s daily operations. Earlier this year Chung donated $10 million to the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering to fund clean energy research.

VISUALS: A new generation of electric vehicles, including a London-style taxi and a bus, powered by rare earth lithium-ion batteries, and built by Southern California-based companies, including Balqon Corporation (Harbor City), Krystal Enterprises (Brea), MVP RV Inc. (Riverside) and Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters, Inc. (Fountain Valley).

Electric London-style taxi powered by batteries developed by Winston Chung. The taxi will be at UC Riverside on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Also, see the 40-foot-long array of batteries that have been installed in a hallway and will eventually power the building.

WHY: Lithium-ion batteries are an important component of next generation energy systems. They can store solar and wind energy to power cars, homes and even industrial-sized buildings like those at UC Riverside. University research will lead to practical and renewable sources of energy, enabling the nation to wean itself off fossil fuels.

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The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.
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